Clinical characteristics and outcome of hospitalized patients with congestive heart failure: results of the HIJC-HF registry.
BACKGROUND
Heart failure (HF) represents a major public health issue in an aging population. Although HF is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in developed countries, the clinical features of HF in Japan remain unclear.


RESULTS
This observational cohort study analyzed data from the Heart Institute of Japan--Department of Cardiology (HIJC)-HF Registry, which is based on a nationwide survey by the HIJC, Tokyo Women's Medical University and its affiliated hospitals. Of 3,578 consecutive patients (average age, 69.8 years; females 40.7%) hospitalized for HF between January 2001 and December 2002, 95.0% were followed up until the end of 2005 (median, 2.8 years). The 1- and 3-year mortality rates were 11.3% and 29.2%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that advanced age (hazard ratio 1.71 [95% confidence interval 1.38-2.12]; p<0.001), symptomatic HF at hospital discharge (3.76 [2.30-6.17]; p<0.001), renal impairment (1.96 [1.50-2.57]; p=0.008), anemia (1.46 [1.18-1.80]; p=0.02) and low pulse pressure (2.88 [1.62-5.13]; p=0.0003) were significantly associated with total death.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the long-term mortality rate for Japanese patients with HF is lower than in other countries, several markers are modifiable. The data demonstrate that continued improvements in the treatment of Japanese patients with HF are still needed.
Kawashiro
Naomi
N
Department of Cardiology, The Heart Institute of Japan, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan. naomk@r2.dion.ne.jp
Kasanuki
Hiroshi
H
Ogawa
Hiroshi
H
Matsuda
Naoki
N
Hagiwara
Nobuhisa
N
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000740:Anemia / Q000150:complications; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000150:complications; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D002317:Cardiovascular Agents